Advantages

Disadvantages

Thrilling, Chilling & Gripping

A gripping and sinister novel, where nothing is what it seems. This is not for the faint hearted however, it is a chilling thriller with a mystical and spiritual undertone.

The story is centered around the main character Nicholas Dismas (dis). Dis is a private investigator who generally deals with cheating partners, tax dodgers etc. However everything changes when a women hires Dis to track down her long lost son who she has not seen since the day he was born. The twist is that she was told that her baby had died and he was quickly whisked away after birth, however she has a strong desire (from the help of a clarevoyant) that her son is still alive.

This particular investigation leads Dis to a lot of dead ends, but there is something about this case that he is drawn to, he is determined to get to the bottom of it.

Dis eventually finds himself on the right track, which leads him to a very expensive, luxurious nursing home for the elderly which is situated in the middle of nowhere. However it is not what it seems and Dis slowly and gruesomely discovers the deep, dark secret of the others.

There are a lot of twist and turns, and a lot of dark and disturbing events that happen throughout the book that are extraordinary and out of this world, but could almost be true.

If you like thrillers with a eerie twist then this is perfect for you, I would highly recomened this book.

Comments

Advantages

Disadvantages

Oh, how we deceive ourselves. Most of us like to believe we see 'the person inside' when we meet people who are different to us, who are physically 'challenged' or just plain ugly. It was only when I became disabled myself that I really started to try and see 'the person behind the disability' as the politically correct faction would have us all do. I previously believed that I did that anyway, that as someone who has always been 'different' I chose to see the 'normal' person beyond the physical image, however abnormal. Utter rubbish, having read this book I hang my head in shame to realise how much I have deceived myself. I think we all try to fool ourselves about this to some degree but that doesn't make it okay. "Others", written by James Herbert is a book that is 'unputdownable'. It is gripping, it is shocking, it is uncomfortably believable, which is the secret ingredient in every one of his books that makes your hair stand on end. His books are so believeable. Read this book and you will start to get under the skin of physical abnormality and feel the spiritual pain of that. It is soul destroying. Whilst we are on the subject of the soul, I should mention that we make a journey through the soul of the main character in the book, a chap named Nicholas Dismas. Nick Dismas learns a lot about himself during the unravelling of his tale, as we the readers will surely learn so much about ourselves as we read along. Uncomfortable truths, I suspect. Abandoned at birth, physically deformed, Nick has not had an easy start in life. He is bitter, he has every reason. Devoid of love, a true 'untouchable' he has no-one in his life who can understand what he goes through every day of his life. Nobody that is until he meets that special someone. Without ruining the book for you, all I can say is that you really, really should read this bo ok, even if you don't usually read Herberts books. It will/should change you somewhat and challenge your prejudices, that is if you have a heart. The most disturbing part of the book is the 'END NOTE' penned by Herbert, amazingly enough at the end of the story. Do yourself a favour, resist the urge to read it before you read the story PLEASE. For it is the end note that REALLY makes this a DEEPLY disturbing story.....

Comments

Advantages

Disadvantages

I have had this book for about 6 mths believe it or not, sitting on my bookshelf, waiting, wanting to be read. I picked it up in a cheap book shop intending to start reading it as soon as I got it home. I'm not sure why but it got pushed to the back and in front came a few books in which I had read some good opinions, here on Dooyoo. Due out in the next few months, is the next book in the long line of books that the king of horror has written. Others being his most recent book, but he has written well over 20 books since the early 80s. Well I am ashamed in leaving this book unread for so long. After starting it last week, I have now finished it, awe-struck. I wasnt all that sure when I started it. The first chapter was a little weird, starting in fact in what I would call Hell. This first chapter describes a man, a condemned man at that, within the reaches of Hell itself. You can almost feel the pain this man is in. His remorse, his pity, his repentance in what he did in his previous life. His man, his identity unknown was filled with dread. He didnt know how long he'd been there for, how long he was going to bed there for, but you can almost, almost hear him scream. His man was visited by two figures and after consideration, careful thought and probably spitefulness, gave his pitiful man his judgement. In the second chapter and there after there is a great change in the book. You are thrown from Hell into the modern day world, into the life of Nick Dismas. Dis ( as his friends call him) worked as a Private Investigator. Learning the tricks of the trade from the dark side of the neighbourhood, Dis set up his own business with three others, Henry, Philo and Ida. These associates became very dear friends to Dis, even through his crippling disabilities. I shall not tell you what sort of disability Dis has, but believe you me James Herbert will tell you all. Dis worked for many years as a private Investigator, the usual mun dane stuff. Wives wanting to catch their unfaithful husbands, husbands who wanted to catch their wives being unfaithful. Repossesion work, whether it was houses, flats or cars. Missing persons ...Missing persons, it was this that was too change Mr Dismas's life ..forever. One morning a lady, Shelly Ripstone came into the office imploring him to take on a case of her missing son. Easy enough he thought. Shelly had just lost her husband, he died a few week previously. She wanted to find her missing son which was taken away from her after she gave birth. Shelly told Dis that she had a very strong feeling that her son wasn't dead, like the doctors had told her, but alive somewhere. Shelly also went on to tell him that she had even seen a spiritualist, Louise Broomfield. Louise had even confirmed that her son was calling out to Louise, pleading with her to find him. Was Louise leading Shelly astray? Or did she pick up on something? Dis was a little puzzled by all this. Why would a women who gave birth to a child who died after child birth, why is she looking for him? After a few false starts and quite a few dead ends, Dis managed to get more than he bargained for. One particular morning met Shelly Ripstone, Louise Broomfield at Shelly's home. This visit was purely to get more information from Shelly Ripstone. All he had was that eighteen years ago, her child was taken away from Dartford General Hospital. He had nothing else. So he was going to try and encourage her as painful as it was, to try and remember maybe a doctors name or anything he could go on. Unfortunately while on his investigations he found that the hospital had burnt to the ground. Other hospitals didnt have any information either as they only kept upto ten years. After probing into the this lady's past something very strange happens. Since he had took on this case the nightmares began, gently nudging, probing into his consciousne ss. With Louise as a spiritualist, she started to get the feeling that someone was drawing them on in this bizarre case. While Dis was asking questions things started to move in the room, as if a small storm was brewing. So gently it started, no one noticed. Then as Shelly Ripstone recalled the midwife's image in her minds eye, both Dis and Louise started to hear voices, calls for help, moaning and the sound of wings. Dis was very apprehensive as nothing had ever happened like this to him before. He thought maybe it was all the stuff he took while he was a teenager until Louise verified that she could here them too. Suddenly Dis was up on his feet, screaming, telling the voices to get out of his head and in a rush he rushed to the mirror in the hall. Dis could see nothing but wings, not his own image but wings, he could hear them flapping, could feel the movement of air. Suddenly it all stopped. Shelly Ripstone called out that she remembered the midwife's name it was Vogel, Hildergarde Vogel. This was the beginning for Dis, his research lead him to a old people home, mysteriously located, in the middle of no where. Perfect Rest supposed to be a nursing home ....but was it? Its here that Dis discovers the dark secret of "Others" and finally he will resolve his own sad, mutated existence. "Others" definitely stands up to James Herbert's usual standard of horror. But unlike some of his books this one is slightly different. Herbert states in the back of the book that the story is based on a true incident that occurred in a childrens hospital in London some years ago. The things that were described at the end of the book, and I'm not going to divulge, were from actual medial case histories. I think and I'm sure that after you have read this book, its that fact that's truly horrific. "Others" is more of a psychological horror, working on the terrors of your imagination, then out right gor y horror. The description in this book is as usual very in depth. In some places Herbert tends to get lost in his profound describing. If you are a person that reads but doesn't take it all in, you might find you will get a little lost. "Others" isn't hard going at all, the plot is easy to follow, but if you dont like to see whats in the book, surroundings in great detail, people described from outside to inside, then this isn't for you. You have to concentrate and its one of those books that I couldn't watch TV and read it at the same time. Believe me I have done that more than once and still followed the book. You need 100% for this book, but its worth it. Just watch for the twists and turns and dont worry if the first chapter at the beginning makes no sense, it will at the end. If you want to be scared out of your wits, then read this, sleep with the lights on and dont forget to cover the mirrors.

Comments

Advantages

Disadvantages

James Herbert's controversial and stunning new chiller Others follows the same grounds as the superb Creed, yet with an originality that places it a cut above the rest. The main character Nicholas Dismas is a Private Investigator, but like no other that has gone before him. As well as his main burden (something I am not willing to reveal) Dismas carries a secret about himself to which not even he has the answer. Hired by a widowed aristocrat to track down a missing baby stolen away at birth, he finds himself immersed in a grim underworld of lies and deceit. Dismas’ investigations lead him to a mysterious nursing home called ‘Perfect Rest’, a seemingly innocent place where the elderly can live out their final days in peace. But as Dismas delves deeper he begins to notice that appearances can be deceptive as he discovers the shadowy presence of the Others lurking in the hidden rooms and passages of the nursing home. The Private Investigator’s own dark heart is called into question in the events that follow and in a shocking and spectacular finale, Dismas finally resolves the enigma of his own existence and answers the disturbing questions - who and what are the Others? Over the past 25 years James Herbert has gained a reputation as Britains greatest Horror writer. With tales to rival King, Herbert is like a modern day mage, a man that magically creates his vision with seamless ease. His writing is of the most visually detailed and descriptive style you are likely to discover within the genre. He makes you laugh, he makes you cry – and most importantly of all he scares you out of your wits. Any writer who can make a grown man jump at the sudden descriptive sentence of the next paragraph has my respect. Others is a richly crafted reading experience. This is Herbert at his best – a deep, thought-provoking and insightful masterpiece.

Comments

Advantages

Disadvantages

Believe it or not I read this one from start to finish on a beach in Jamaica and I got so immersed in it that I practically lost 2 days of my holiday, I could just not put it down. It does start off sort of weird but you soon forget about that as you end up practically getting inside the main characters head and experiencing the events from his perspective. I wont spoil it for you because to give you anything other than the vaguest outline of the story would really give the game away but I will tell you that the book was inspired by an elderly friend of James Herbert who used to work at a hospital in London. She apparently entered an unmarked ward and was confronted with numerous cots containing very badly deformed babies but nobody could give her any explanation as to who they were or what happened with them. The book goes on to examine and flesh out one particular gruesome and sickening explanation which also has an unexpected sting in the tail which will have you saying to yourself ..... "so thats what the start of the book was all about" This is one of James Herberts better books as far as I'm concerned although I dont know whether it's one which I'll be able to read again with as much enjoyment because a lot of it's mystery goes after the first reading, that may sound a bit strange when you think how some of his earlier books could be read over and over again but once youve read this I think you'll agree, still a very good book though and well worth hunting out.

Comments

Advantages

Disadvantages

I have been reading James Herbet books since I at school and his last few haven't really been up to his usual standard. I am now pleased to say that he is back with Vengance with his new book "others". Based around the life, trials and tribuations of a phsically deformed private investigator who has taken on the seeminly impossible case to find a baby who apprently died at bith 18 years before hand but the mother didn't think this was the case. There are characters that you will love and characters that you will hate. We follow Nick Dismass going to hell and back to uncover the terrible truth. I found this book very gripping and found myself rushing to the end because I couldn't wait to find out what happened at the end.

Comments

Advantages

Disadvantages

I've been a big fan of James Herbert for many years now, and his latest book, 'Others' has made me an even bigger fan. The basics of the story - PI Dismas(as in the biblical thief) who has many physical deformities, is hired to track down a baby, seemingly dead, who disappeared 18 years ago. After many strange going ons, his investigations lead him to a private nursing home where he discovers "others", and his own secret. This book is apparently based on true accounts. And its based in England, a rare occurance for a modern horror book. This book definately leaves you thinking, and rather than out and out gory horror, it is more physcological. The physical deformities are described quite vividly, you can picture these characters in your head. Some may find it a little hard to stomach. Herberts writing is brilliant as always, you can picture every character and every scene as you read. The story did drag a little bit as it neared the end, but it was worth the wait to read the shock ending. A fantastic book from one of the best horror writers around, it will leave you thinking, but I wouldn't recommend reading it at night!

Comments

Advantages

Disadvantages

I have been lucky enough to read all of James Herberts books and each one gets better. 'Others' centres around a PI called Nicholas Dismas who is called in to look for a missing baby born 18 years ago but declared dead by the nursing staff. The mother believes otherwise. Our 'hero' is not all he seems as he is afflicted by a deformity including a hump. Sounds odd, but very imaginable. The secret to his hunt leads him to a nursing home called Perfect Rest where he meets Dr Wisbeech and Constance, one likes him the other doesn't. The book, allegedly based upon a true account at times is quite disturbing, more physcological horror in this book than any of his others, but if you are like me and can get wrapped up in the stortline, I don't reccomend you read this last thing at night. At over 500 pages long the story can drag a bit and the ending comes as quite a shock. All in all, a good read.

Comments

Advantages

Disadvantages

Nicholas Dismas is a private investigator, plagued by nightmares and with a secret to which he cannot find the answer. He is hired to find a missing baby and finds his clues leading to Perfect Rest, a nursing home for the elderly. Here, he is to discover the secret of the Others and the answer to his own secret. A word of warning before I mention anything else. This is indeed a work of horror and the content of this book is rather disturbing. Many people may find the book too difficult to read, as it deals with physical deformities that Herbert claims are based on real examples in medical literature. However, if you can get past this obstacle, there is an excellent novel involved. The characters are very interesting. Dismas is constantly being developed and it makes a change to see a private investigator who has vices and who is not the squeaky clean person that you seem to see in most novels. The locations are very accurate as well. This book is set in the British seaside town of Brighton and Herbert describes it well, trying to set the scene as much as possible for people who do not know the town. Again, it makes a refreshing change to actually see a novel set in England, as most seem to be in America these days. Overall, this is a very interesting novel, although I did feel that it started to drag slightly as we got closer to the end. The conclusion was quite shocking at first, but when you think back over it, it is something that you could have expected. Watch out for clues and echoes. An excellent novel, as long as the subject matter does not put you off. Certainly only for adults.

Comments

Product Details

Nicholas Dismas is a private investigator, but like no other that has gone before him. He is hired to find a missing baby and his investigation leads him to discover the dark secret of the Others, and resolves the enigma of his own existence.